The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-01-27

4OeD. Lee, dIteFWafd Dig. oSHoie. @ ssno
chief Of Artillery. Second corps, Army
Co., New Y rk, Philadelphia and Wash
ington. Sold by subscription. Ker x
May. agents, Stanton, va.
This is a work Of decided merit To
the general reader, without previous
knowledge Of the subject, it cannot fail to
prove Of great interest, as an authentic,
candid and truthful memoir of one of
the greatest historical figures of
modern tinaes. But to those whose for
tune it was to have good opportunities to
observe and to know Gen. Lee, it possesses
charm which it can present to no others.
The great and enduring excellence Of Gen.
Longs book, is its remarkably faithful
and accurate portrayal Of the character
and the personality Of Robert Edward Lee.
Soon after his death, Horace Greeley
made the remark that what impressed
him most forcibly about Gen. Lee was
1.-The devoted attachment of those closest
| to him in the last years of his life. Z 10
them, while it was the great soldier, pa
triot and hero whom they reyered, it was
the man that they loved.
One or two points in Gen. Lees charac-
ter as presented by the author. it may be
permitted further to briefly illustrate
here His genial playfuIness with friends
was very marked and his sense of humor
was as keen as man ever possessed. Upon
one occasion, at a lecture by a witty Scotch
gentleman before a Literary Society in
Lexington, Gen. Lee laughed until the
tears rolled down his checks and his whole
frame shook in his effort to suppress his
merriment, SO as not to attract attention.
His depth and tenderness of feeling were
equally marked. Ga the Gay that news ar
rived of the liberation Of Mr.. Davis
from Fortress Monroe, it was re-
marked to him. "Youare very much re.
| leved General at the release of your friend
Mr.. Davis" 'sAh --- y was the reply,
with an intensity Of feeling not to he de-
scribed, sit has taken q load from my
heart that tongue cannot tell"
We notice Gnt one seeming error, on
page Sc of the Memoir, where it is stated
that Gen. Lees commission as comman-
der-in-chief of the Va forces was present.
ed to him in pres ence Of the convention
"and Of a large assemblage of citizens" II
this means that the occasion was public
one, it is a mistake. The convention was
in secret session, and only privileged per-
sons such as the Gov and staff, other State
officers and Hon. A. FL. Stephens, Commr.
from the Southern Confederacy Sc, were
present. Any public reception would have
been very distasteful to Gen. Lee and the
ladies Of Richmond, of whom none were
present, would have overwhelmed the hall,
But the dignity and solemnity Of the
scene were never surpassed, and Mr.. Ste
phens justly and strikingly described Gen.
Lee as the most manly man and entire
gentleman I ever saw What follows
(p. 1922 from the sketch Of MIR Stephens.
is not so pleasant and indeed to us
seems singularly obtuse on his part He
represents Gen. Lee as that very evening,
in a priuate int eryiew, practically "re-
signing the very honor and rank that
same morning received. F" In this the politi-
clan was inferior in sagacity to the clear
minded soldier. The utter unselfshness
and selfabnegatien of General Lee need no
assertion. Bat in assuming the position
he did with Mr.. Stephens. he did not ssre
sign;" he merely effectually executed the
trust committed to him by Virginia. Gen.
Lee comprehended the whole situation
thoroughly-it is not too much to say, bet
ter than any man then living. He knew
that the key TO the whole position was in
the financial question, and that leading
members of the convention, who in fact
held the balance Of power, were prepared
to join the Southern Confederacy outright,
simply because Virginia unaided could not
bear the expense of the war on her own
soil for single month. And he would
oppose no selfish obstacle or personal con-
sideration to the exigent interests Of his
State, lin whose defence alonen he haG de-
clared, would he ever again draw his
sword" But Gen. Lee was IN no whit in
ferior IN intellectual force to Mr.. Steph-
ems. And in emphasizing this nobility of
intellect the Memoir, perhaps, somewhat
fails. OF him might well be quoted at
least what Benjamin Watkins Leigh once
said Of Lees eXemplaf, George Washing
toa 1T is said by some, that Washing
ton was without talents. His virtues
were talents of the highest order"
The closing years Of the life Of this
great American, brought him solace amid
al the gliefg and distresses of the South
ern people. His life at Lexington was
model of calm wisdom and heroic patience,
eff unobtrusive devotion to duty as Presi-
dent of Washington College. and of the
walk and conversation of an unaffectedly
humble and sincere Christian. He with
drew himself from public display in the
most determined manner, and in his fam
lily and among his students, enjoyed to a
large degree the true repose of a great
soul. What the effect of his presence
would have been anywhere in the South or
| N Europe, was shown in Baltimore, with
er upon single occasion he was induced
to go to advocate a subscription to a
railroad in the interest Of his College,
The feryor and enthusiasm of his recep-
ton will never be forgotten by those who
witnessed it /: and evidently warmed and
cheered his heart. It is note worthy too.
as showing his firm and strict sense of
propriety, that upon his return home
ards, he went quietly and unattended
and paid his respects, at the White House.
to President Grant. 1t was the first time
after Appomattox and the last time, that
the two great commanders met.
Our author in his concluding chapter
freely admits that the tone of this work
has been eulogistic." On that score
he need have no fear. To any candid
| reader, it must bear the impress of self
evident honesty and careful truthfulness.
It is singnlarly free from undue coloring.
And as for these who really knew, in life
Robert E. Lee, if they choose to utter
their real sentiment, with one accord
will they proclaim-He is above euIogy.
Call the ron Of mightiest captains from
the earliest record down and await the
future as the times to come are unrolIed
and so challenging the entire line of the
human race, we say-show US a better
man
n